Application single sign on leveraging virtual local area network identifier

ABSTRACT

A processor-implemented method for providing application single sign on leveraging a virtual local area network identifier is provided. The method comprises an authentication server providing a client device access to a network via association with a virtual local area network and a credential. The method also comprises the device invoking an application hosted on an application server and the application server identifying a virtual local area network tag associated with the device. The method also comprises the application server sending a message to the authentication server requesting linkage of the tag with a user identification associated with the device. The method also comprises the authentication server linking the tag with the user identification associated with the device and sending a message to the application server containing the identification. The method also comprises the application server using the identification to authenticate the device with the application and the device receiving access.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/502,227, entitled “Application Single Sign OnLeveraging Virtual local Area Network Identifier”, filed on Jul. 13,2009, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

A virtual local area network is a logical local area network thatextends beyond a single traditional local area network to a group oflocal area network segments. A virtual local area network has the sameattributes as a physical local area network, but it allows for endstations to be grouped together even if they are not located on the samephysical network switch or segment. Because a virtual local area networkis a logical entity, its creation and configuration is done in softwareinstead of by physically relocating devices. Traditional network designsuse routers to create broadcast domains and limit broadcasts betweenmultiple subnets. Virtual local area network software permits the samebroadcast domain to extend beyond a single segment and provides thesegmentation services traditionally provided by routers in local areanetwork configurations. Virtual local area networks may permit controlof traffic patterns and more expedient reaction to device relocations.Virtual local area networks may also provide the flexibility to adapt tochanges in network requirements and allow for simplified administrationincluding relief from duties of managing resource permissions.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a processor-implemented method for providing anapplication single sign on leveraging a virtual local area networkidentifier is provided. The method comprises an authentication serverproviding a client device access to a network via association with avirtual local area network and a credential. The method also comprisesthe client device invoking an application hosted on an applicationserver and the application server identifying a virtual local areanetwork tag associated with the client device. The method also comprisesthe application server sending a first message to the authenticationserver requesting linkage of the virtual local area network tag with auser identification associated with the client device. The method alsocomprises the authentication server linking the virtual local areanetwork tag with the user identification associated with the clientdevice and sending a second message to the application server containingthe user identification. The method also comprises the applicationserver using the user identification to authenticate the client devicewith the application and the client device receiving access to theapplication.

In an embodiment, a processor-implemented method for providing anapplication single sign on leveraging a virtual local area networkidentifier is provided. The method comprises an authentication serverproviding a client device a first access to a network via associationwith a first virtual local area network and a first credential. Themethod also comprises the client device invoking an application hostedon an application server. The method also comprises the applicationserver recognizing a first virtual local area network tag associatedwith the client device. The method also comprises the application serversending a first message to the authentication server requesting a useridentification associated with the client device and requesting thefirst level of authentication associated with the first virtual localarea network tag. The method also comprises the authentication servermatching the first virtual local area network tag with the useridentification associated with the client device and sending a secondmessage to the application server containing the user identification andthe first level of authentication associated with the first virtuallocal area network tag. The method also comprises the application serverdetermining that the first level of authentication is insufficient toaccess the application and notifying the client device. The method alsocomprises the client device severing association with the first virtuallocal area network. The method also comprises the client device invokingthe application after severing association with the first virtual localarea network. The method also comprises the client device receiving asecond access to the network via association with a second virtual localarea network and a second credential. The method also comprises theapplication server recognizing a second virtual local area network tagassociated with the client device. The method also comprises theapplication server sending a third message to the authentication serverrequesting a user identification associated with the client device andrequesting the second level of authentication associated with the secondvirtual local area network tag. The method also comprises theauthentication server matching the second virtual local area network tagwith the user identification associated with the client device andsending a fourth message to the application server containing the useridentification and the second level of authentication associated withthe second virtual local area network tag. The method also comprises theapplication server using the user identification and the second level ofauthentication to authenticate the client device with the applicationand the client device receiving access to the application.

In an embodiment, a processor implemented method for providing anapplication single sign on leveraging a virtual local area networkidentifier. The method comprises an authentication server providing aclient device access to a network via association with a virtual localarea network and a credential. The method also comprises the clientdevice invoking a first application hosted on an application server andthe application server reading a virtual local area network tagassociated with the client device. The method also comprises theapplication server sending a message to an authentication serverrequesting matching of the virtual local area network tag with a useridentification associated with the client device and requesting anauthentication code associated with the virtual local area network tag.The method also comprises the authentication server matching the virtuallocal area network tag with the user identification associated with theclient device and the authentication code and sending a second messageto the application server containing the user identification and theauthentication code associated with the virtual local area network tag.The method also comprises the application server storing theauthentication code and granting the client device access to the firstapplication based on the authentication code. The method also comprisesthe client device invoking a second application. The method alsocomprises the application server consulting the stored authenticationcode and granting the client device access to the second applicationbased on the authentication code.

These and other features will be more clearly understood from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, referenceis now made to the following brief description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein likereference numerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 3 a and FIG. 3 b are a flow chart illustrating another methodaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating another method according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a mobile device according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a mobile device according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a software configuration for a mobiledevice according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary general purpose computer system suitablefor implementing some aspects of the several embodiments of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrativeimplementations of one or more embodiments are illustrated below, thedisclosed systems and methods may be implemented using any number oftechniques, whether currently known or in existence. The disclosureshould in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations,drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may be modified withinthe scope of the appended claims along with their full scope ofequivalents.

The disclosure teaches an application single sign on leveraging avirtual local area network identifier to promote a client device that isassociated with a dynamically configured virtual local area network toaccess applications without separately authenticating with eachapplication. The initial authentication for association with a virtuallocal area network is used by the methods of application single sign onto relieve the client device of the task of entering user identificationand password or other credential each time an application is invoked.Applications may be modified to accept the authentication performed toestablish the virtual local area network. When a client device that hasbeen authenticated and provided dynamic association with a uniquevirtual local area network attempts to access an application, anapplication server reads a virtual local area network tag associatedwith the client device. The application server then submits informationabout the virtual local area network tag to an authentication serverthat may have earlier instantiated the virtual local area network. Theauthentication server uses the virtual local area network tag todetermine the user identification associated with the client device. Theauthentication server sends the user identification to the applicationserver. The application server may verify the user identification and/orsubmit the user identification to the application which then starts andprovides access to the client device. The entire process may betransparent to the client device.

The authentication server, in addition to determining the identity ofthe user associated with the client device and providing it to theapplication server, may also determine a level of authenticationassociated with the client device's virtual local area networkassociation and may furnish that information to the application server.Client devices may use several methods to initially authenticate with anauthentication server, achieving different levels of authentication andnetwork access. The authentication server may communicate theauthentication level obtained by the client device to the applicationserver. The application server may use that authentication level alongwith the user identification to access the application for the clientdevice. Applications that normally require unique user identificationsand passwords or other credentials may be modified to trust virtuallocal area network authentication and permit access when the applicationserver receives satisfactory user identification associated with thevirtual local area network tag associated with the client device. Theapplication server may alternatively access a secure database containingpasswords corresponding to user identifications. Upon receiving a useridentification associated with a virtual local area network tag, theapplication server may draw the corresponding password from the databaseand furnish it to the application along with the user identification,allowing the client device access to the application.

Some applications may require a level of authentication stronger thanthe authentication level attained by a client device when itinstantiated its present virtual local area network association. If aclient device presently associated with a virtual local area networkthat was established with a basic level of authentication attempts toaccess such an application that requires a higher level ofauthentication, the client device may be required to terminate itsvirtual local area network association and authenticate again with anauthentication server using a stronger authentication method that willallow the client device access to the desired application. The presentdisclosure teaches a method for a client device associated with avirtual local area network tag provided a level or type ofauthentication lower or different than that required by an applicationto sever its association with its virtual local area network,authenticate again using a different method, be associated with a newlyinstantiated virtual local area network, and receive access to theapplication.

Each time a client device receives dynamic association with a virtuallocal area network, it may be associated with a uniquely instantiatedvirtual local area network tag. The authentication server that providedthe client device the association with the virtual local area networkrecords the authentication method used by the client device and storesthe information with the identification of the associated user, thevirtual local area network tag, and other information associated withthe client device's unique virtual local area network. When a clientdevice attempts to access an application, the application server parsesthe client device's access attempt and analyzes the virtual local areanetwork tag associated with the client device. The application serverrequests from the authentication server the user identificationassociated with the client device. The application server also requeststhe authentication level associated with the client device. If theauthentication level is not adequate for the client device to receiveaccess to the application, the client device may authenticate again withthe authentication server using a more secure credential or method ofauthentication and receive access to the application.

The present disclosure also teaches the use of dynamically createdvirtual local area networks to provide authenticated access to a suiteof applications based on a single sign on. Upon receipt of a messagefrom the application server containing virtual local area network taginformation, the authentication server may examine the virtual localarea network tag and locate an authentication code based on the methodor combination of methods of authentication used by the client device.The authentication server sends the user identification andauthentication code to the application server. The application servermay consult a database associating authentication codes, useridentifications, applications, and access levels. The information inthis database may be updated regularly by changes made to theauthentication codes. Authentication codes may be limited to indicatinga certain level of access to certain applications or they may bespecific to client devices, user identifications, and access to certainapplications. The authentication code allows a client device specificlevels of access to certain specific applications while associated witha dynamically instantiated virtual local area network. Client devicesauthenticate once and receive access to a plurality of applications thatwould otherwise require their own sign on credentials. The applicationserver may contact the authentication server only one time instead ofevery time the client device attempts to start a new application. Thissimplifies the process for the user of the client device, easesprocessing load on the application server and authentication server, andreduces network traffic between the two servers.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a system 100 for an application single sign onleveraging virtual local area network identifier is provided. The system100 comprises an authentication server 102, an authenticationapplication 110, an application server 120, an application 128, aconfiguration database 130, a verification database 140, a passworddatabase 142, a client device 150, an access device 170, a gatewaydevice 180, a network 190, and a wireless base transceiver station 192.In some embodiments, additional client devices 160 and additionalapplications 129 will be present and active in the system 100.Attributes and functionality described with reference to the clientdevice 150 are representative of the attributes and functionality of theadditional client devices 160. Attributes and functionality describedwith reference to the application 128 are representative of theattributes and functionality of the additional applications 129.

The authentication server 102 may be any general purpose computersystem, as discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The authenticationserver 102 may comprise one computer or a plurality of computers, forexample a server farm wherein many server computers cooperate to share aprocessing load. The authentication server 102 may comprise a pluralityof computers that are located at different places, for example toprovide geographical diversity and increased service reliability. Theauthentication server 102 executes one or more applications that provideservices to at least one of the client devices 150 including hosting ofthe authentication application 110.

The authentication application 110 executes on the authentication server102 and receives messages from the access device 170 containing requestsfrom the client device 150 for authentication and access to networkservices. The authentication application 110 consults network policiesand determines whether the client device 150 should be associated with avirtual local area network while being granted access to services on anenterprise or other network serving multiple client devices 150, 160.When the client device 150 initially seeks access to services on anetwork it initiates the process by contacting an access device 170, forexample an Ethernet switch. Some client devices 150, 160 may be providedaccess to some network services without the need to be associated with avirtual local area network. Other client devices 150, 160 may be of adevice type or seek to access services of a type such that a networkpolicy prescribes the client devices 150, 160 to be associated with avirtual local area network exclusive to the client device 150, 160. Whensuch a network policy is in effect, the authentication application 110instantiates a virtual local area network for exclusive association withthe client device 150 and associates the client device 150 and networkpolicy with the new virtual local area network.

The authentication application 110 also receives messages from theapplication server 120 containing requests to provide useridentifications and other information associated with a virtual localarea network tag read by the application server 120. When a clientdevice 150 that is associated with a virtual local area network seeks toinvoke a service provided by the application 128, the application server120 receives a message from the client device 150 that may include thevirtual local area network tag associated with the client device 150.The application server 120 sends a message to the authenticationapplication 110 containing information about the virtual local areanetwork tag with a request to identify the user associated with thevirtual local area network tag and client device 150. The authenticationapplication 110 consults the configuration database 130 for the identityof the user associated with the client device 150 and virtual local areanetwork tag and communicates the information back to the applicationserver 120. The authentication application 110 also may include in thecommunications back to the application server 120 information about themethod of authentication used by the client device 150 when the virtuallocal area network with which the client device 150 is associated wasestablished. In embodiments wherein dynamically configured virtual localarea networks are being used, network traffic may be associated withvirtual local area network tags.

The authentication application 110 comprises the communicationscomponent 112 that communicates with the access device 170 when theclient device 150, 160 first requests a service that depends uponassociation of the client device 150, 160 with a virtual local areanetwork to receive the requested service. The communications component112 receives messages from the access device 170 containing requestsoriginated by client devices 150, 160 for access to network services.The communications component 112 sends virtual local area networkconfiguration information to the access device 170, the gateway device180, and the application server 120 when it has been determined that apolicy prescribes a virtual local area network to be created for theclient device 150, 160. The communications component 112 sends internetprotocol interface information and a virtual local area network tag tothe access device 170, the gateway device 180, and the applicationserver 120 with instructions to provision virtual local area networkinterfaces on physical interfaces on each device to instantiate thevirtual local area network for the client device 150. In an embodiment,the gateway device 180 may function as an intermediary between theclient device 150 and the application server 120. The communicationscomponent 112 also exchanges messaging with the access device 170, thegateway device 180, and the application server 120 about the maintenanceand tear down of virtual local area networks and the recovery of virtuallocal area network tags and subnet interface configuration informationafter tear down. The authentication application 110 controls thecreation and provisioning as well as attending to the orderlydismantling of virtual local area networks. The communications component112 handles the movement of provisioning information, instructions, andother messaging associated with virtual local area networks.

The communications component 112 also processes the messaging betweenthe authentication application 110 and the application server 120 when aclient device 150 accesses the application 128. The communicationscomponent 112 receives the initial message from the application server120 identifying the virtual local area network tag associated with theclient device 150 and requesting identification of the user associatedwith the client device 150. After the authentication application 110consults the configuration database 130 containing information about theuser and client device 150 associated with the virtual local areanetwork tag, the communications component 112 sends a reply back to theapplication server 120. The authentication application 110 and theapplication server 120 may exchange several messages in connection witha client device 150 attempting to access the application 128,particularly when there may be an issue regarding the level ofauthentication currently in effect for the client device 150 in itsassociation with its virtual local area network and the level ofauthentication needed by the specific application 128 that the clientdevice 150 is seeking to access.

The authentication application 110 also comprises the authenticatorcomponent 114 that authenticates client devices 150 seeking to accessnetwork services. The authenticator component 114 receives the initialrequest for services from the access device 170 on behalf of the clientdevice 150. The authenticator component 114 examines the servicesrequest and determines if a policy is currently in place for the clientdevice 150, the network services requested, a combination thereof, orany other aspect of the request. If such a policy is in place, theauthenticator component 114 reviews the policy and determines if thepolicy allows the client device 150 to be associated with a virtuallocal area network. In the event such a policy is in place andauthenticator component 114 determines that the client device 150 shouldbe associated with a virtual local area network, the authenticatorcomponent 114 may then complete the steps of port-based authenticationas described in standard 802.1x issued by the Institute of Electricaland Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Port-based authentication may be astep toward associating the client device 150 with a virtual local areanetwork. After the authenticator component 114 completes port-basedauthentication of the client device 150 and any other steps towardauthenticating the client device 150 for access to services, it maycontact the communications component 112 with the request to generateconfiguration information and send the configuration information to theaccess device 170, gateway device 180, and the application server 120 toprovision the virtual local area network for the client device 150.

The authentication application 110 also comprises the resource poolaccess component 116 that interacts with the configuration database 130to obtain configuration and policies information to provision virtuallocal area networks as well as take delivery of recovered configurationinformation after virtual local area networks have been torn down. Theresource pool access component 116 is called upon by the authenticatorcomponent 114 to locate any applicable policies when the client device150 is seeking access to services on a network including access to theapplication 128. The resource pool access component 116 is then calledupon by the authentication application 110 after it has authenticatedthe client device 150 to draw internet protocol interface informationand virtual local area network tag information from the configurationdatabase 130 to provision the virtual local area network used to providethe client device 150 access to the network.

After a client device 150 has been authenticated and associated with anewly instantiated virtual local area network, the resource pool accesscomponent 116 may also draw information from the configuration database130 about the authentication method used by the client device 150. Thisaction may be caused by the authentication application 110 receiving arequest from the application server 120 for user identification andother information arising from a client device 150 attempting to accessthe application 128. This information drawn from the configurationdatabase 130 may comprise an authentication level or authentication codethat when sent to the application server 120 may be read and understoodby the application server 120 to represent levels of authentication forthe applications 128, 129 that the client device 150 is attempting toaccess or may attempt to access during the current virtual local areanetwork session.

The application server 120 provides access to applications 128, 129 forclient devices 150, 160 associated with virtual local area networks. Theapplication server 120 promotes the applications 128, 129 that normallyrequest a unique user identification and perhaps a password or othercredential to rely on virtual local area network tags and theirsupporting authentication and permit access to a client device 150. Theapplication server 120 hosts the applications 128, 129 and providessecurity by verifying user identification and authentication with theauthentication application 110. The application server 120 comprises amessaging component 122 that receives messages from client device 150,160 that seek to access the applications 128, 129. The messagingcomponent 122 recognizes when client devices 150, 160 are associatedwith virtual local area networks because messages from client devices150, 160 may contain virtual local area network tags. The messagingcomponent 122 determines when a virtual local area network tag includedwith an application request from a client device 150, 160 is associatedwith a dynamically configured virtual local area network exclusive tothat client device 150, 160 only. The presence of this type of virtuallocal area network tag is an indication to the application server 120that it may contact the authentication server 102, request the useridentification and authentication level associated with the clientdevice 150, and upon receipt of this information, provide the clientdevice 150 access to the requested application 128, 129.

In an embodiment, it may not be mandatory that a virtual local areanetwork tag be associated exclusively with a single client device 150 inorder for the client device 150 to be provided access to a requestedapplication 128, 129. More than one client device 150 may be associatedwith a specific virtual local area network that persistently providesaccess to a requested application 128, 129. In an embodiment, severalclient devices 150, 160 may simultaneously or at differing times accessa specific virtual local area network that is dedicated to providingaccess to a specific application 128. A virtual local area network maybe role-based and may be accessed by client devices 150, 160 seeking toperform specific tasks that may require access to one or moreapplications 128, 129.

The messaging component 122 of the application server 120 sends amessage to the authentication application 110, the message containingthe identity of the virtual local area network tag associated with aclient device 150. The message requests that the identity of the userassociated with the client device 150 be provided by the authenticationapplication 110 as well as any information about the level ofauthentication used by the client device 150 when it was associated withits virtual local area network. Multiple messages may be exchangedbetween the application server 120 and the authentication application110 if the level of authentication currently in effect for the clientdevice 150 is inadequate for the application 128, 129 requested by theclient device. For example, the client device 150 may have authenticatedusing a password but is requesting access to an application 128, 129with a higher security level that requests a digitally-signedcertificate for entry. The messaging component 122 and thecommunications component 112 of the authentication application 110 willexchange messaging about this disparity and the need for the clientdevice 150 to furnish the more secure means of authentication.

The messaging component 122 of the application server 120, in additionto receiving the original request from the client device 150 for accessto the application 128, 129, also conducts messaging with the clientdevice 150 when the client device 150 needs to provide the higher levelof authentication as described. This messaging may include advice to theclient device 150 that it terminate its association with its currentvirtual local area network and re-authenticate with the authenticationapplication 110 using the stronger credential required by theapplication 128, 129. In an embodiment, the messaging component 122 mayuse at least one of short message service (SMS), multimedia messagingservice (MMS), message queue (MQ), electronic mail, service messageblocks (SMB), and other electronic communications methods and protocolsto exchange messages with the other components of the system 100.

The application server 120 also comprises the application component 124that communicates with applications 128, 129 when a client device 150seeks access. Some applications 128, 129 may require user identificationonly, and other applications 128, 129 may request user identificationand some level of authentication. The application component 124interacts with the applications 128, 129 in determining what eachapplication 128, 129 requests to grant access to the client device 150.The applications 128, 129 are accessed by client devices 150, 160. Whilethe applications 128, 129 may be depicted as contained by theapplication server 120, portions of applications 128, 129 may reside onservers or other components elsewhere in the system 100. In anembodiment, a client or requester component of the application 128, 129may reside on a client device 150, 160. Access to the applications 128,129 may be monitored and regulated by the application server 120 whenaccess is attempted by client devices 150, 160 that have been associatedwith virtual local area networks.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure may provide for theapplications 128, 129 to be modified to trust the application component124 when the application component 124 verifies the level ofauthentication provided by the client device 150. Whereas theapplication 128, 129 might normally request a certain level ofauthentication to grant access to their services, in an embodiment, theapplications 128, 129 may be modified to permit access when theapplication component 124 determines that the virtual local area networktag provided by the client device 150 has been linked with a useridentification and authentication level satisfactory to the application128 being accessed. The applications 128, 129 may in effect be modifiedto trust the determination made by the application server 120 throughits interaction with the authentication application 110 that the clientdevice 150 has achieved the level of authentication required by theapplications 128, 129 for access.

In an embodiment, some of the applications 128, 129 may not be modifiedas previously described and instead may be provided the useridentification and required password by the application component 124 asif the client device 150 was providing it directly. In this embodiment,these applications 128, 129 may not be “aware” of the actions of thecomponents of the present disclosure. The extent of their interactionwith the components of the present disclosure is to receive the useridentification and authentication from the application component 124that they request for access and then grant access to the client device150.

The application server 120 also comprises a verification component 126that may function with some embodiments of the present disclosurewherein a client device 150 is to be provided access to a plurality orsuite of the applications 128, 129 that may specify a variety of levelsor types of authentication for access. When initially authenticating andreceiving association with a virtual local area network, a client device150 may provide one or more credentials, such as a password, securetoken, or digitally signed certificate. The authentication application110 may record and store the identity of the client device 150, theidentity of the user associated with the client device 150, theauthentication credential(s) provided by the client device 150, thevirtual local area network tag provided to the client device 150, andother information associated with the virtual local area network such asinternet protocol subnet information and relevant policies. Theauthentication application 110 may generate an authentication coderepresenting some or all of this information and send the authenticationcode to the application server 120. The application server 120 mayseparately maintain a verification database 140 listing the applications128, 129 that are accessible for certain authentication codes providedby the authentication application 110. The verification component 126uses the authentication code in the verification database 140 todetermine the applications 128, 129 available to the client device 150.This process permits the client device 150 to be allowed access to morethan one application 128, 129 at a time and alleviates the applicationserver 120 of the burden of contacting the authentication application110 every time the client device 150 seeks to access an additionalapplication 128, 129. The verification component 126 verifies orascertains what applications 128, 129 the client device 150 is to bepermitted access given the authentication code provided by theauthentication application 110.

The configuration database 130 is associated with the authenticationserver 102 and stores information used to instantiate virtual local areanetworks and associate authentication methods used by client devices 150with authentication codes that may be used to provide client devices 150access to the applications 128, 129. The configuration database 130comprises the subnet interface pool 132 that contains information usedto configure subnet interfaces on an access device 170, a gateway device180, and an application server 120 to provision the virtual local areanetwork for a client device 150. Information associated with configuringa subnet interface comprises an internet protocol address, an internetprotocol subnet mask, an internet protocol default gateway, a domainname system (DNS) server, and a dynamic host control protocol (DHCP)server. The configuration database 130 also comprises the tag pool 134that contains virtual local area network tags that are assigned tovirtual local area networks dynamically instantiated for client device150. Virtual local area network tags may be sectioned into sub-poolswith some groups of virtual local area network tags reserved for useonly by individual client devices 150. Virtual local area network tagsof this type would be recognizable by the application server 120 when aclient device 150 seeks to access the application 128, 129. Virtuallocal area network tags may in some embodiments alternatively bereferred to as 802.1Q tags.

The configuration database 130 also comprises the policies pool 136.Policies are guidelines associated with client devices 150, users,groups, and/or resources on a network, for example, physical ports on agateway device 180 that permit access to resources external to thesystem 100. The authenticator component 114 of the authenticationapplication 110 may determine that a policy found in the policies pool136 applies to a client device 150, a port on a gateway device 180, orsome other resource that requires the client device 150 to be associatedwith a virtual local area network before being allowed access toresources on an enterprise or other network. In an embodiment, no policymay be found and a client device 150 may be permitted access toresources on a network without the need for a client device 150 to beassociated with a virtual local area network.

The configuration database 130 also comprises an authentication codespool 138 that contains associations of authentication codes withauthentication methods. An authentication code may represent anauthentication method or combination of authentication methods used by aclient device 150. When the authentication application 110 receives amessage from the application server 120 containing a request for a useridentification and authentication level associated with virtual localarea network tag provided by a client device 150, the authenticationapplication 110 may reply back with the user identification andauthentication type provided or it may instead reply back with the useridentification and authentication code. The authentication code may beregarded as a shorthand version or codified indication of the at leastone authentication method used by a client device 150. Theauthentication codes pool 138 associates authentication codes withindividual authentication methods that a client device 150 may use andcombinations of authentications that may be used. The verificationcomponent 126 of the application server 120 receives and understandsauthentication codes and uses authentication codes with the verificationdatabase 140 to determine to which of the applications 128, 129 theclient device 150 may be granted access, given the authentication codeprovided by the authentication application 110. One authentication code,for example, may indicate that a password was used, a secondauthentication code may indicate that a digitally signed certificate wasused, and a third authentication code may indicate that both a passwordand a digitally signed certificate had been furnished by the clientdevice 150. Additional authentication codes may indicate that yet otherauthentication methods or combinations thereof were used. Authenticationcodes represent strength, quality, or type of authentication provided bya client device 150 and are relied upon by the application server 120when consulting the verification database 140 to determine theapplications 128, 129 to which the client device 150 may be grantedaccess.

The verification database 140 is associated with the application server120 and contains associations of authentication codes and authenticationmethods with the applications 128, 129 that a client device 150 mayaccess. The verification database 140 is consulted by the verificationcomponent 126 of the application server 120 when the authenticationapplication 110 replies back with a user identification and anauthentication code or authentication method associated with a clientdevice 150. The verification component 126 uses the user identificationand either the authentication code or authentication method to enter theverification database 140 and determine the applications 128, 129 thatthe client device 150 may access during its current virtual local areanetwork association. The application server 120 may periodically modifythe verification database 140 as the applications 128, 129 and theirsecurity policies change and as user accounts and their permittedaccesses change.

The password database 142 contains associations of user identifications,the applications 128, 129, and passwords or other credentials that maypermit users access to applications 128, 129. While much of thediscussion of the present disclosure has involved the applications 128,129 trusting the application server 120 to determine the authenticationlevel of a client device 150 and in effect reuse the authenticationprocedures enforced by the applications 128, 129, in some embodiments,the actual furnishing of the required password or other credential bythe application server 120 to the application 128, 129 may instead takeplace. This alternative embodiment may be less secure, because sendingpasswords across a network presents security risks as does the storageof passwords in a single location, such as in the password database 142.While this may not be the preferred embodiment, it may still be usedgiven the structure or security requirements of a specific application128, 129 and is hence taught by the present disclosure.

The client device 150, 160 is the component that seeks to access networkservices and may be associated with a virtual local area network. Whenthe client device 150, 160 is associated with a dynamically configuredvirtual local area network instantiated exclusively for that clientdevice 150, 160 and the client device 150, 160 then seeks to access theapplications 128, 129 that are supported by the components andfunctionality of the present disclosure, the client device 150, 160 maybe relieved of the task of providing user identification andauthentication for each application 128, 129. This may provideconvenience and improved productivity to parties using the clientdevices 150, 160.

The client device 150, 160 may be one of a mobile telephone, mediaplayer, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, tabletcomputer, desktop computer, set-top box, Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) desk set, printer, data appliance, camera, webcam, femtocell, andvideo device enabled to use the Internet Protocol. The client device150, 160 comprises a supplicant component 152, 162 that makes initialcontact with the access device 170 when the client device 150, 160 firstseeks access to an enterprise or other network and may requireassociation with a virtual local area network. The client device 150,160 also comprises a messaging component 154, 164 that conductsmessaging with the other components of the system 100 after the clientdevice 150, 160 has been authenticated by the authentication server 102and provided association with a virtual local area network.

The access device 170 receives the initial request to access anenterprise or other network from the client device 150, 160 and forwardsthe request to the authentication server 102. When the authenticatorcomponent 114 of the authentication application 110 determines bylocating a policy or other method that the client device 150, 160 mustbe associated with a virtual local area network for the client device150, 160 to be provided access to services, the authenticationapplication 110 will draw configuration information from the subnetinterface pool 132 and the tag pool 134 and send the configurationinformation to the access device 170 to provision a virtual local areanetwork interface on the access device 170.

The access device 170 may be one or more physical devices that havesimilar functionality and perform substantially the same tasks inconnection with the system 100. The access device 170 may be an Ethernetswitch, WiFi access point, edge switch, other wireless access point, orother device with the capability to control physical access to a networkbased on the authentication status of the client device 150, 160. In anembodiment, the system 100 may comprise more than one access device 170.

The gateway device 180 is a router or other edge device that providesconnection to the Internet 194 or other resources external to the system100 through a secure network port or ports. When a client device 150,160 is to be associated with a virtual local area network, theauthentication application 110 may draw configuration information fromthe subnet interface pool 132 and the tag pool 134 and send theconfiguration information to the gateway device 180 to provision avirtual local area network interface on the gateway device 180 in amanner similar to its provisioning a virtual local area networkinterface on the access device 170 as described previously.

The network 190 promotes communications between the components of thesystem 100. The network 190 may be any communications network includinga public data network (PDN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN),a private network, and/or a combination thereof.

The base transceiver station 192 may be any of a mobile telephonewireless base station, for example a Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and/or UniversalMobile Communications System (UMTS) mobile telephone wireless basestation; a World-wide Interoperable Microwave Access (WiMAX) basestation; a WiFi access point; or other wireless access device.

The Internet 194 is a worldwide, publicly accessible series ofinterconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switchingusing the standard internet protocol (IP). In an embodiment, theInternet 194 may be any network external to the network 190 to which theclient device 150, 160 wishes to connect using its virtual local areanetwork.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a method 200 is provided for aprocessor-implemented method for providing an application single sign onleveraging a virtual local area network identifier. Beginning at block202, the authentication server 102, through the operation of theauthentication application 110, provides a client device 150 access toan enterprise or other network by associating the client device 150 witha virtual local area network. The client device 150 may have attemptedto access a service on the network that is accessible through the accessdevice 170. The access device 170 relays the request to theauthenticator component 114 of the authentication application 110. Theauthenticator component 114 examines the policies pool 136 of theconfiguration database 130 to determine if a policy in place prescribesthat the client device 150 be associated with a virtual local areanetwork. In the method 200, the authenticator component 114 determinesthat the client device 150 needs to be associated with a dynamicallyprovisioned virtual local area network and should be the only clientdevice 150 associated with the new virtual local area network. Thesupplicant component 152 of the client device 150 and the authenticatorcomponent 114 exchange messages that assist in the creation of thevirtual local area network that includes port-based authentication.Port-based authentication is described in standard 802.1x issued by theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and is wellknown to those skilled in the art.

Continuing at block 202, the authentication application 110 provisionsinterfaces on the access device 170, the gateway device 180, and theapplication server 120 to instantiate the virtual local area network forthe client device 150. The authentication application 110 drawsprovisioning information from the subnet interface pool 132 and the tagpool 134 and sends it to the access device 170, the gateway device 180,and the application server 120 for provisioning of subnet interfaces onthe devices. In authenticating with the authentication application 110,the client device 150 may have provided credentials including apassword, a media access control (MAC) address, a secure token, a deviceidentity certificate that is compliant with the X.509 standard of theInternational Telecommunications Union (ITU) TelecommunicationsStandardization Sector (TSS) for public key infrastructure and PrivilegeManagement Infrastructure, for example an x.509c3 certificate, or otherauthentication. The client device 150 may provide a combination of thesecredentials. The authentication application 110 records the method ormethods of authentication used by the client device 150, because thisinformation may be useful later.

At block 204, the client device 128 invokes the application 128. In somecases, the events occurring at block 204 and block 202 may occur atabout the same time, such that a client device 150 that is not admittedto the enterprise or other network from which the application 128 isaccessible clicks on or otherwise attempts to start the application 128.This action causes the actions described at block 202 to take place,wherein the client device 150 is associated with a virtual local areanetwork.

At block 206, the messaging component 122 of the application server 120receives a message that the client device 150 is attempting to start theapplication 128. The message contains information about the virtuallocal area network tag associated with the client device 150. Themessaging component 122 recognizes that the virtual local area networktag is of a type designated for dynamically created virtual local areanetworks assigned to only one client device 150 at a time. The messagingcomponent 122 recognizes that this request for access to the application128 may be satisfied by invoking the functionality provided by thecomponents of the present disclosure and the client device 150 may nothave to enter a user identification and authentication to gain access tothe application 128.

At block 208, the messaging component 122 sends a first message to theauthentication application 110 requesting the user identificationassociated with the client device 150. The first message containsinformation identifying the virtual local area network tag provided bythe client device 150. At block 208, the messaging component 122requests the authentication application 110 to check its records and usethe virtual local area network tag to locate the name of the userassociated with the client device 150.

At block 210, the authentication application 110 links the virtual localarea network tag identified by the messaging component 122 with the useridentification associated with the client device 150 and sends the useridentification to the messaging component 122 of the application server120. The authentication application 110 may also check its records todetermine the authentication method used by the client device 150 whenits virtual local area network was instantiated and furnish thisinformation to the messaging component 122 along with the useridentification.

At block 212, the messaging component 122 provides the useridentification to the application component 124 that may submit the useridentification to the application 128 and starts the application 128. Atblock 214, the client device 150 begins receiving access to theapplication 128.

The application server 120 resolves discrepancies between useridentifications in case a user provides one user identification whilethe client device 150 is being authenticated for association with itsvirtual local area network and the user is known to an application 128by another user identification. The application server 120 may haveaccess to a listing of user identifications used by various users andmay draw upon the listing should discrepancies arise.

FIG. 3 discloses a processor-implemented method 300 for providing anapplication single sign on leveraging a virtual local area networkidentifier. The actions at blocks 302, 304, and 306 are substantiallysimilar to the actions at blocks 202, 204, and 206 of the method 200. Aclient device 150 at block 302 is associated with a virtual local areanetwork and at block 304 attempts to start an application 128. Theseactions result in the application server 120 at block 306 recognizingthat the virtual local area network tag associated with the clientdevice 150 indicates that the client device 150 may be relieved of thetasks of signing in and authenticating with the application 128.

At block 308, the messaging component 122 of the application server 120sends a first message to the authentication application 110 containinginformation about the virtual local area network tag associated with theclient device 150 and requesting that the authentication application 110provide both the identity of the user associated with the client device150 and the method of authentication used by the client device 150 whenits virtual local area network was instantiated.

At block 310, the authentication application 110 fulfills this request.The authentication application 110 checks its records and uses thevirtual local area network tag to find the name of the user associatedwith the client device 150 as well as the method or first level ofauthentication used by the client device 150. The authenticationapplication 110 sends this information in a second message back to themessaging component 122. The authentication application 110 at block 310consults the policies database 136 to determine if a policy is in placeregarding the accessibility of application 128 by the client device 150.

At block 312, the messaging component 122 provides the informationreceived from the authentication application 110 to the applicationcomponent 124. The application component 124 may be able to determine onits own that the user identification and authentication method are orare not adequate to permit access to the application 128. Theapplication component 124 may alternatively work with the verificationcomponent 126 and the verification database 140 to make thisdetermination. In the method 300, at block 312 it is determined that themethod or first level of authentication used by the client device 150 isnot adequate for the application 128 to provide access to the clientdevice 150. In an example, the client device 150 may have used apassword for its first level of authentication and the application 128may prescribe that client devices 150 provide a digitally signedcertificate to receive access. This information is passed to themessaging component 122 and the messaging component 122 notifies theclient device 150 that it has been denied access to the application 128.The messaging component 122 may also advise the client device 150 thatit may reattempt access to the application 128 by providing a differentlevel of authentication. At block 314, the client device 150 severs itsassociation with its virtual local area network

At blocks 316 through 326, the client device 150 cycles back through theprocess described previously, this time after securing a second level ofauthentication. At block 316, the client device 150 attempts to startthe application 128 and re-authenticates with the authenticatorcomponent 114 using a second and more secure credential to receive atblock 318 a second or higher level of authentication. This processcauses the virtual local area network with which the client device 150was associated to be terminated and a new virtual local area network tobe instantiated for the client device 150. This process may involve mostor all of the actions described at block 202 of the method 200 and block302 to be repeated including the generation of a second virtual localarea network tag. At block 320, the messaging component 122 of theapplication server 120 recognizes the second virtual local area networktag associated with the client device 150.

At block 322 the application server 120 sends a third message to theauthentication application 110 requesting the user identificationassociated with the client device 150 and requesting the second level ofauthentication associated with the second virtual local area networktag. At block 324, the authentication application 110 matches the secondvirtual local area network tag with the client device 150 and the secondand higher level of authentication achieved by the client device 150when it re-authenticated at block 318. The authentication application110 sends this information in a fourth message back to the applicationserver 120 including the second level of authentication.

At block 326, the application server 120 uses the user identificationand the second level of authentication to attempt to access theapplication 128 as requested by the client device 150. The application128 accepts the second level of authentication and permits access to theclient device 150. At block 328, the client device 150 begins receivingaccess to the application 128. Whereas the first level of authenticationwas inadequate for access to the application 128 and the client device150 was rejected, the second and higher level of authentication isadequate for the client device 150 to be permitted access to theapplication 128.

In an alternate embodiment to the method 300, the client device 150 maybe able to access to the application 128 via association with only onespecific virtual local area network. This may be a virtual local areanetwork whose sole purpose is to provide access to the application 128and wherein the virtual local area network may remain in existenceindependent of association with any client devices 150, 160. If the userof the client device 150 seeks access to the application 128, in thisalternative embodiment access may be accomplished through associationwith only the one virtual local area network. The client device 150would be unable to gain access to the application 128 throughassociation with any other virtual local area network.

FIG. 4 discloses a processor-implemented method 400 for providing anapplication single sign on leveraging a virtual local area networkidentifier. The actions at blocks 402, 404, and 406 are substantiallysimilar to the actions at blocks 202, 204, and 206 of the method 200 andblocks 302, 304, and 306 of the method 300. A client device 150 at block402 is associated with a virtual local area network and at block 404attempts to start a first application 128. These actions result in theapplication server 120 at block 406 recognizing that the virtual localarea network tag associated with the client device 150 indicates thatthe client device 150 may be relieved of the tasks of signing in andauthenticating with the application 128.

At block 408, the messaging component 122 of the application server 120sends a first message to the authentication application 110 containinginformation about the virtual local area network tag. The first messagerequests the user identification associated with the client device 150and requests the authentication code associated with the credentialssupplied or methods of authentication used by the client device 150 whenit was associated with its virtual local area network. The applicationserver 120 intends to use to authentication code to determine the atleast one application 128, 129 to which the client device 150 may begranted access while currently associated with its virtual local areanetwork.

At block 410, the authentication application 110 links the virtual localarea network tag received from the application server 120 with the useridentification associated with the client device 150. The authenticationapplication 110 also looks up the credential or combination ofcredentials provided earlier by the client device 150. Theauthentication application 110 may consult the authentication codes pool138 of the configuration database 130 to determine the authenticationcode corresponding to the credential or combination of credentialsprovided by the client device 150. At block 410, the authenticationapplication 110 sends a second message back to the application server120 containing the requested user identification associated with theclient device and authentication code associated with the credential orcombination of credentials that together provide a composite level ofauthentication and may permit the client device access to at least oneapplication 128, 129.

At block 412, the application server 120 receives the second message andstores the authentication code with the virtual local area network tagand the identity of the user associated with the client device 150. Thisinformation is stored for the duration of the current virtual local areanetwork with which the client device 150 is associated. The verificationcomponent 126 of the application server 120 receives and uses theauthentication code to enter the verification database 140 and determinewhich of the applications 128, 129, the client device 150 may currentlyaccess based on that authentication code. As the verification database140 associates authentication codes with applications 128, 129 that maybe accessed for each authentication code, the application server 120 maynot contact the authentication application 110 again, if the clientdevice 150 at a later time invokes a second application 129. At block412, the application server 120 either permits or denies the clientdevice 150 access to the first application 128 based on the results ofthe verification component 126 checking the verification database 140 asdescribed.

At block 414, the client device 150 attempts to start a secondapplication 129. This action is independent of when and whether theclient device 150 was permitted or denied access to the firstapplication 128 at block 412. At block 416, the verification component126 again accesses the verification database 140 and finds theauthentication code it stored earlier for the client device 150. Theverification component 126 uses the authentication code to review thelisting of applications 128, 129 that the client device 150 may bepermitted to currently access. Based on its review of this listing inthe verification database 140, the verification component 126 determineswhether the client device 150 may be permitted or is denied access tothe second application 129.

FIG. 5 shows a wireless communications system including the mobiledevice 418. FIG. 5 depicts the mobile device 418, which is operable forimplementing aspects of the present disclosure, but the presentdisclosure should not be limited to these implementations. Thoughillustrated as a mobile phone, the mobile device 418 may take variousforms including a wireless handset, a pager, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a gaming device, an inventory control device, a mediaplayer, a digital camera, a digital calculator, a portable computer, atablet computer, a laptop computer, and/or other. Many suitable handsetscombine some or all of these functions. In some embodiments of thepresent disclosure, the mobile device 418 is not a general purposecomputing device like a portable, laptop or tablet computer, but ratheris a special-purpose communications device such as a mobile phone,wireless handset, pager, or PDA. The mobile device 418 may supportspecialized activities such as gaming, inventory control, job control,and/or task management functions, and so on.

The mobile device 418 includes a display 420 and a touch-sensitivesurface or keys 422 for input by a user. The mobile device 418 maypresent options for the user to select, controls for the user toactuate, and/or cursors or other indicators for the user to direct. Themobile device 418 may further accept data entry from the user, includingnumbers to dial or various parameter values for configuring theoperation of the handset. The mobile device 418 may further execute oneor more software or firmware applications in response to user commands.These applications may configure the mobile device 418 to performvarious customized functions in response to user interaction.Additionally, the mobile device 418 may be programmed and/or configuredover-the-air, for example from a base transceiver station, a wirelessaccess point, or a peer mobile device 418.

The mobile device 418 may execute a web browser application whichenables the display 420 to show a web page. The web page may be obtainedvia wireless communications with a base transceiver station (BTS) 424, awireless network access node, a peer mobile device 418 or any otherwireless communications network or system. While a single basetransceiver station 424 is illustrated, it is understood that thewireless communications system may comprise additional base transceiverstations. In some instances, the mobile device 418 may be incommunications with multiple BTS's 424 at the same time. The BTS 424 (orwireless network access node) is coupled to a wired network 426, such asthe Internet. Via the wireless link and the wired network, the mobiledevice 418 has access to information on various servers, such as aserver 428. The server 428 may provide content that may be shown on thedisplay 420. Alternately, the mobile device 418 may access the BTS 424through a peer mobile device 418 acting as an intermediary, in a relaytype or hop type of connection.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the mobile device 418. While a varietyof known components of handsets 418 are depicted, in an embodiment asubset of the listed components and/or additional components not listedmay be included in the mobile device 418. The mobile device 418 includesa digital signal processor (DSP) 502 and a memory 504. As shown, themobile device 418 may further include an antenna and front end unit 506,a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 508, an analog baseband processingunit 510, a microphone 512, an earpiece speaker 514, a headset port 516,an input/output interface 518, a removable memory card 520, a universalserial bus (USB) port 522, an infrared port 524, a vibrator 526, akeypad 528, a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touchsensitive surface 530, a touch screen/LCD controller 532, acharge-coupled device (CCD) camera 534, a camera controller 536, and aglobal positioning system (GPS) sensor 538. In an embodiment, the mobiledevice 418 may include another kind of display that does not provide atouch sensitive screen. In an embodiment, the DSP 502 may communicatedirectly with the memory 504 without passing through the input/outputinterface 518.

The DSP 502 or some other form of controller or central processing unitoperates to control the various components of the mobile device 418 inaccordance with embedded software or firmware stored in memory 504 orstored in memory contained within the DSP 502 itself. In addition to theembedded software or firmware, the DSP 502 may execute otherapplications stored in the memory 504 or made available via informationcarrier media such as portable data storage media like the removablememory card 520 or via wired or wireless network communications. Theapplication software may comprise a compiled set of machine-readableinstructions that configure the DSP 502 to provide the desiredfunctionality, or the application software may be high-level softwareinstructions to be processed by an interpreter or compiler to indirectlyconfigure the DSP 502.

The antenna and front end unit 506 may be provided to convert betweenwireless signals and electrical signals, enabling the mobile device 418to send and receive information from a radio access network (RAN) orsome other available wireless communications network or from a peermobile device 418. In an embodiment, the antenna and front end unit 506may include multiple antennas to support beam forming and/or multipleinput multiple output (MIMO) operations. As is known to those skilled inthe art, MIMO operations may provide spatial diversity which can be usedto overcome difficult channel conditions and/or increase channelthroughput. The antenna and front end unit 506 may include antennatuning and/or impedance matching components, RF power amplifiers, and/orlow noise amplifiers.

The RF transceiver 508 provides frequency shifting, converting receivedRF signals to baseband and converting baseband transmit signals to RF.In some descriptions a radio transceiver or RF transceiver may beunderstood to include other signal processing functionality such asmodulation/demodulation, coding/decoding, interleaving/deinterleaving,spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fourier transforming (IFFT)/fastFourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefix appending/removal, and othersignal processing functions. For the purposes of clarity, thedescription here separates the description of this signal processingfrom the RF and/or radio stage and conceptually allocates that signalprocessing to the analog baseband processing unit 510 and/or the DSP 502or other central processing unit. In some embodiments, the RFtransceiver 426, portions of the antenna and front end 506, and theanalog baseband processing unit 510 may be combined in one or moreprocessing units and/or application specific integrated circuits(ASICs).

The analog baseband processing unit 510 may provide various analogprocessing of inputs and outputs, for example analog processing ofinputs from the microphone 512 and the headset 516 and outputs to theearpiece 514 and the headset 516. To that end, the analog basebandprocessing unit 510 may have ports for connecting to the built-inmicrophone 512 and the earpiece speaker 514 that enable the mobiledevice 418 to be used as a mobile phone. The analog baseband processingunit 510 may further include a port for connecting to a headset or otherhands-free microphone and speaker configuration. The analog basebandprocessing unit 510 may provide digital-to-analog conversion in onesignal direction and analog-to-digital conversion in the opposing signaldirection. In some embodiments, at least some of the functionality ofthe analog baseband processing unit 510 may be provided by digitalprocessing components, for example by the DSP 502 or by other centralprocessing units.

The DSP 502 may perform modulation/demodulation, coding/decoding,interleaving/deinterleaving, spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fouriertransforming (IFFT)/fast Fourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefixappending/removal, and other signal processing functions associated withwireless communications. In an embodiment, for example in a codedivision multiple access (CDMA) technology application, for atransmitter function the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding,interleaving, and spreading, and for a receiver function the DSP 502 mayperform despreading, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inanother embodiment, for example in an orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplex access (OFDMA) technology application, for the transmitterfunction the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding, interleaving,inverse fast Fourier transforming, and cyclic prefix appending, and fora receiver function the DSP 502 may perform cyclic prefix removal, fastFourier transforming, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inother wireless technology applications, yet other signal processingfunctions and combinations of signal processing functions may beperformed by the DSP 502.

The DSP 502 may communicate with a wireless network via the analogbaseband processing unit 510. In some embodiments, the communicationsmay provide Internet connectivity, enabling a user to gain access tocontent on the Internet and to send and receive e-mail or text messages.The input/output interface 518 interconnects the DSP 502 and variousmemories and interfaces. The memory 504 and the removable memory card520 may provide software and data to configure the operation of the DSP502. Among the interfaces may be the USB port 522 and the infrared port524. The USB port 522 may enable the mobile device 418 to function as aperipheral device to exchange information with a personal computer orother computer system. The infrared port 524 and other optional portssuch as a Bluetooth interface or an IEEE 802.11 compliant wirelessinterface may enable the mobile device 418 to communicate wirelesslywith other nearby handsets and/or wireless base stations.

The input/output interface 518 may further connect the DSP 502 to thevibrator 526 that, when triggered, causes the mobile device 418 tovibrate. The vibrator 526 may serve as a mechanism for silently alertingthe user to any of various events such as an incoming call, a new textmessage, and an appointment reminder.

The keypad 528 couples to the DSP 502 via the interface 518 to provideone mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, andotherwise provide input to the mobile device 418. Another inputmechanism may be the touch screen LCD 530, which may also display textand/or graphics to the user. The touch screen LCD controller 532 couplesthe DSP 502 to the touch screen LCD 530.

The CCD camera 534 enables the mobile device 418 to take digitalpictures. The DSP 502 communicates with the CCD camera 534 via thecamera controller 536. The GPS sensor 538 is coupled to the DSP 502 todecode global positioning system signals, thereby enabling the mobiledevice 418 to determine its position. In another embodiment, a cameraoperating according to a technology other than charge coupled devicecameras may be employed. Various other peripherals may also be includedto provide additional functions, e.g., radio and television reception.

FIG. 7 illustrates a software environment 602 that may be implemented bythe DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system drivers 604 thatprovide a platform from which the rest of the software operates. Theoperating system drivers 604 provide drivers for the handset hardwarewith standardized interfaces that are accessible to applicationsoftware. The operating system drivers 604 include applicationmanagement services (“AMS”) 606 that transfer control betweenapplications running on the mobile device 418. Also shown in FIG. 7 area web browser application 608, a media player application 610, and JAVAapplets 612. The web browser application 608 configures the mobiledevice 418 to operate as a web browser, allowing a user to enterinformation into forms and select links to retrieve and view web pages.The media player application 610 configures the mobile device 418 toretrieve and play audio or audiovisual media. The JAVA applets 612configure the mobile device 418 to provide games, utilities, and otherfunctionality.

Some aspects of the system described above may be implemented on anygeneral-purpose computer with sufficient processing power, memoryresources, and network throughput capability to handle the necessaryworkload placed upon it. FIG. 8 illustrates a typical, general-purposecomputer system suitable for implementing one or more embodimentsdisclosed herein. The computer system 780 includes a processor 782(which may be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU) that is incommunications with memory devices including secondary storage 784, readonly memory (ROM) 786, random access memory (RAM) 788, input/output(I/O) devices 790, and network connectivity devices 792. The processormay be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

The secondary storage 784 is typically comprised of one or more diskdrives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data andas an over-flow data storage device if RAM 788 is not large enough tohold all working data. Secondary storage 784 may be used to storeprograms which are loaded into RAM 788 when such programs are selectedfor execution. The ROM 786 is used to store instructions and perhapsdata which are read during program execution. ROM 786 is a non-volatilememory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative tothe larger memory capacity of secondary storage. The RAM 788 is used tostore volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to bothROM 786 and RAM 788 is typically faster than to secondary storage 784.

I/O devices 790 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystaldisplays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches,dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tapereaders, or other well-known input devices.

The network connectivity devices 792 may take the form of modems, modembanks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards,serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface(FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radiotransceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), globalsystem for mobile communications (GSM), and/or worldwideinteroperability for microwave access (WiMAX) radio transceiver cards,and other well-known network devices. These network connectivity devices792 may enable the processor 782 to communicate with an Internet or oneor more intranets. With such a network connection, it is contemplatedthat the processor 782 might receive information from the network, ormight output information to the network in the course of performing theabove-described method steps. Such information, which is oftenrepresented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor782, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, inthe form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave

Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executedusing processor 782 for example, may be received from and outputted tothe network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signalor signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signalembodied in the carrier wave generated by the network connectivitydevices 792 may propagate in or on the surface of electrical conductors,in coaxial cables, in waveguides, in optical media, for example opticalfiber, or in the air or free space. The information contained in thebaseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be orderedaccording to different sequences, as may be desirable for eitherprocessing or generating the information or transmitting or receivingthe information. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrierwave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed,referred to herein as the transmission medium, may be generatedaccording to several methods well known to one skilled in the art.

The processor 782 executes instructions, codes, computer programs,scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk(these various disk based systems may all be considered secondarystorage 784), ROM 786, RAM 788, or the network connectivity devices 792.While only one processor 782 is shown, multiple processors may bepresent. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by aprocessor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, orotherwise executed by one or multiple processors.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure,it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may beembodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spiritor scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to beconsidered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is notto be limited to the details given herein. For example, the variouselements or components may be combined or integrated in another systemor certain features may be omitted or not implemented.

Also, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described andillustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may becombined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, ormethods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.Other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating witheach other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through someinterface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically,mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions,and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could bemade without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A processor-implemented method for providingsingle sign-on leveraging a virtual local area network identifier,comprising: providing, by an authentication server, a client deviceaccess to a network via association with a virtual local area networkand a credential; receiving, by an application server, a request thatincludes a virtual local area network tag from the client device toinvoke an application in the virtual local area network hosted on theapplication server; maintaining an association between the virtual localarea network tag and the client device in one or more databases;maintaining an association between the client device and a useridentification in the one or more databases; subsequently leveraging thevirtual local area network tag included in the request from the clientdevice to provide the client device access to the application withoutseparately authenticating with the application, wherein the leveragingcomprises: identifying, by the application server, the virtual localarea network tag associated with the client device included in therequest from the client device; sending, by the application server, arequest message to the authentication server requesting the useridentification associated with the client device based on the identifiedvirtual local area network tag included in the request from the clientdevice; and in response to receiving the request message, matching, bythe authentication server, the identified virtual local area network tagincluded in the request from the client device with the useridentification associated with the client device and maintained in theone or more databases and sending a reply message to the applicationserver containing the user identification; and subsequently providing,by the application server, the client device with access to theapplication using the user identification contained in the replymessage, wherein the providing comprises the application serverpromoting the application, which normally requests a unique useridentification and a password or other credential, to rely on thevirtual local area network tag and the user identification contained inthe reply message and permit access to the client device.
 2. The methodof claim 1, further comprising dynamically configuring the virtual localarea network, wherein the virtual local area network tag is providedupon instantiation of the virtual local area network tag.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein providing the client device access to the networkfurther comprises instantiating, by the authentication server, thevirtual local area network for exclusive association with the clientdevice.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating thevirtual local area network with client devices used by individuals. 5.The method of claim 1, further including: tearing down, by theauthentication server, the virtual local area network; and recovering,by the authentication server, the virtual local area network tag to aresource pool whereby the virtual local area network tag becomesavailable for future reuse.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprisingproviding, by the application server, the client device access to theapplication based on the user identification and a level of securityassociated with the credential.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising accessing, by the authentication server, stored recordsassociating the virtual local area network tag with the useridentification associated with the client device in response toreceiving the request message.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein theclient device is one of a desktop computer, laptop computer, tabletcomputer, mobile telephone, media player, personal digital assistant(PDA), and portable electronic device.
 9. A system that provides singlesign-on leveraging a virtual local area network identifier, the systemcomprising: an authentication server comprising a non-transitory memoryand a processor, the authentication server configured to: provide aclient device access to a network via association with a virtual localarea network and a credential, one or more databases, wherein the one ormore databases maintain an association between a virtual local areanetwork tag and the client device and an association between the clientdevice and a user identification, and an application server comprising anon-transitory memory and a processor, the application server configuredto: receive a request that includes the virtual local area network tagfrom the client device to invoke an application in the virtual localarea network hosted on the application server, subsequently leverage thevirtual local area network tag included in the request from the clientdevice to provide the client device access to the application withoutseparately authenticating with the application, wherein the leveragingcomprises: identify the virtual local area network tag included in therequest from the client device, send a request message to theauthentication server requesting the user identification associated withthe client device based on the identified virtual local area network tagincluded in the request from the client device, and in response toreceiving the request message, match the identified virtual local areanetwork tag included in the request from the client device with the useridentification associated with the client device and maintained in theone or more databases and send a reply message to the application servercontaining the user identification; and subsequently provide the clientdevice with access to the application using the user identificationcontained in the reply message, wherein the providing comprises theapplication server promoting the application, which normally requests aunique user identification and a password or other credential, to relyon the virtual local area network tag and the user identificationcontained in the reply message and permit access to the client device.10. The system of claim 9, wherein the virtual local area network isdynamically configured and the virtual local area network tag isprovided upon instantiation of the virtual local area network tag. 11.The system of claim 9, wherein the virtual local area network isassociated with client devices used by individuals.
 12. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the authentication server is further configured to:tear down the virtual local area network; and recover the virtual localarea network tag to a resource pool whereby the virtual local areanetwork tag becomes available for future reuse.
 13. The system of claim9, wherein the application server is configured to provide the clientdevice access to the application based on the user identification and alevel of security associated with the credential.
 14. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the authentication server is further configured toaccess stored records associating the virtual local area network tagwith the user identification associated with the client device inresponse to receiving the request message.
 15. The system of claim 9,wherein the client device is one of a desktop computer, laptop computer,tablet computer, mobile telephone, media player, personal digitalassistant (PDA), and portable electronic device.